Knife with detachable blade



Aug. 24, 1965 v. GAMBINO KNIFE WITH DETACHABLE BLADE Filed Oct. 16, 1963 INVENTOR.

YVICTOR GAMBINO WM, QM,

1.7 W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,201,869 I KNIFE WITH DETACHABLE BLADE Victor Gambino, 16143 Broadway, Cleveland 37, @1110 Filed Oct. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 316,672 3 Claims. (Cl. 311-342) This invention relates to cutlery and, more particularly, to a novel construction for a knife having a detachable blade.

In work requiring the use of knives and the frequent sharpening thereof, the blade often wears down and renders the knife obsolete while the handle of the knife is still serviceable. If the worn knife is discarded it represents a monetary loss, whereas a removable blade would permit replacement by a new blade and a corresponding saving in expense. The present invention accordingly provides a novel knife construction in which the replacement of a worn blade by a new blade can be readily accomplished.

In some occupations, such as in the field of meat cutting and butchery, a knife having a large blade and commonly refer-red to as a butcher knife or steak knife is used for certain operations, and a knife having a smaller blade and commonly known as a boning knife is used for other operations. The novel knife construction of this invention makes possible the continued use of a worn steak knife blade for boning knife purposes, with a resulting saving in expense, upon adaptation and transferral of the worn blade to a boning knife handle.

It is now common practice where knives are used extensively and require frequent sharpening, such as in meat markets, for the knives to be owned and sharpened by a grinding concern. Since such a concern may have many customers and consequently a large stock of knives, the novel construction of the present invention becomes very useful and important in saving of expense by making possible the above-mentioned replacement of worn blades and the above-mentioned adaptation and transferral of worn steak knife blades to boning knife use.

The present invention further provides a novel knife construction having increased strength and durability and in which breakage or splitting of the handle is largely prevented.

Additionally, this invention provides a novel construction for a knife of the detachable-blade type: wherein a ferrule forms a part of a blade-and-ferrule assembly and carries threaded means engageable by a retaining means for holding the assembly in a mounted relation on a handle; wherein the ferrule has flanges in a protective relation to, and drawn against, front end portions of the handle; wherein the blade has a shank portion and the ferrule has vertically disposed flat parallel side walls lying on opposite sides of such shank portion; wherein the front end of the handle has a vertical slot for receiving the ferruled portion of the hIade-andferrule assembly; and wherein a portion of the handle forms closure wall means across the lower end of the slot as a cover and bottom rest for the lower portion of the ferrule.

. Other objects, novel characteristicsand advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

FIG. lis a side elevation of a knife embodying the novel construction provided by this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the detachable blade in a worn condition and adapted to further use;

FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of the knife of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a partial side elevation showing, in detached relation, the blade-and-ferrule assembly of the knife of FIG. 1; a

Y the side walls 31 and 32 and which flanges project out-' M ice As a preferred embodiment of this invention, FIG. 1

shows a knife 11 comprising a blade 11 having a cutting edge 12, and a handle 13 adapted to be manually grasped for manipulating the knife. The knife 10 also comprises blade-to-handle connecting means which permits removal and replacement of the blade 11 when the latter has become worn.

The handle 13 can be of wood or other suitable material and is appropriately shaped to be comfortably grasped by the human hand. The handle 13 is provided with a vertical slot 15 in the front end portion 16 thereof'and a longitudinal passage 17 Within the handle and which,

in this case, extends axially through the handle including the rear end portion 18 thereof. The passage 17 includes a counterbore portion 19 which is intersected by the vertical slot 15.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the blade 11 forms one member of a blade-and-ferrule assembly 20 which is a preformed assembly adapted to be detachably mounted on the handle 13 by means of a screw or the like 21 disposed in the passage 17. In addition to the blade 11, the assembly 20 comprises a ferrule 22 and threaded means which, in this case, is a nut having the form of a yoke member 23.

T he blade 11 is shown as being a long and wide blade preferably made of stainless steel and having the shape commonly provided for meat cutting knives of the kind referred to as steak knives. As the result of repeated sharpening of the blade 11 it will become worn to the extent that it is no longer suitable for steak knife use. In FIG. 1 there is also shown in phantom lines for comparison purposes, the outline of a boning knife blade 25 to which the worn steak knife blade 11 can be readily converted. Because of the detachable connection provided by this invention for the knife blade, the boning knife blade 25 can be readily mounted on a boning knife handle 26 to constitute the boning knife 27 of FIG. 2 which will be further described hereinafter.

The blade 11 is provided at the rear end thereof with a shank portion 23 on which the ferrule 22 is mounted and which shank portion has a hole 29 of a suitable size therein. The ferrule 22 is shown as being a one-piece sheet metal member having vertically disposed flat parallel side walls 31 and 32 lying on opposite sides of, and

against the outer surfaces of,-the shank portion 28. The

ferrule 22 has a pair of vertical flanges 33 and 34 extending along and connected with the front vertical edges of wardly in opposite directions from the shank portion 28.

The flanges 33 and 34 are deflected in a rearward direction so as to extend in an oppositely inclined relation as shown in F165. 3 and 5.

The yoke member 23 is adapted for engagement by the threaded inner end of the connecting screw 21 for maintaining the blade-and-ferrule assembly 20 in a mounted relation on the handle 13, and is shown as being of sleevelike form and having an internal thread 36. The yoke member 23 is of a size and shape to be received in the counterbore 19 of the handle 13 and, in this case, is shown as being cylindrical.

On the front end thereof the yoke member 23 is provided with a pair of spaced arms 37 and 38 which lie on opposite sides of the ferrule 22 and outwardly of the l .3 7 c ferrule side walls'31' and 32. The side walls 31 .andC-Z 7 features which have already of the ferrule and the arms 37 and 38 of theiyoke member are provided with'suitable openings aligned with the hole 29 of the shahkportionZS. A securing member 40, ex-

tends through-the hole and openings for connecting the ferrule 22, the shank portion-28, and the'yoke member a 23 in a 'preassembled relation as the above-mentioned blade-and-ferrule assembly 20. The securing rnernberli) is here shown as being a .pin'but, if desired, it can be a rivet or screw. I

When the assembly 20 is applied to the handle '13'the yoke member 23 is received in the counterbore-=19,'as

mentioned above; and the rear portion of the ferrule 22 s and the shank portion 28 have been ground down so that the ferrule will be receivable in the vertical slot of the relatively smaller boning knife handle 26. Because 'of the adaptability of-the blade and ferrule assembly 20 of the engages in the vertical slot Whenthe screw 21is-fj engaged with the thread 36 of the yoke member 23 and is tightened, the flanges "33 and 34 of the, ferrule 22' are drawn against the front end portion 16 of the handle 13. As shown in FIGS. land 8, the screw 21'is provided at the. rear end thereof with a head 41 which is received ina shallow counterbore-42. of the handle 13. l The head 41 is here shown as having a socket 43 'for receiving a suit? able wrench. The underside of the head 41ispreferably provided'with' a concave recess 44 so that, when the screw the head'41 will not be likely to cause 21' is tightened;

splitting or breakage of the handle 13.

with'the handle 13, the front end portion 16' is provided with a pair of oppositelyinclined verticallydiapbsed bevel surface's'47 and-48 on opposite sides of theslot15ff When the blade and ferrule assembly 28 is mountedfon the i handle 13' as explained aboveand the'screw 21 is tight- V vened, the flanges' 33 and-34 will be drawn-rearwardly in a covering and 7 against the bevel surfaces 47 811C148 protective relation thereto.

' he'inclined relation of the ferrule flanges 33 and 34,

and of the bevel surfaces 47 and 48. with which they-ctr;

relativelylarger 'knife 10 of FIG. 1 to the relatively smaller boning knife .27 of FIG. 2, it will-be seen that the knife construction provided by this invention affords I a considerable saving in equipment expense.

From-Ethe accompanying drawing vand the foregoing detailed description. will nowbe recognized that this invention provides a novel knife construction having a removable blade and in which all of the above-explained advantages arefully realized. s V v V 1 Although the' novel knife construction of this invention has'been' illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, itwill be understood, of course, thatthe invention is not'to be regarded asbeing correspondingly limited inscope but includes all-changes and modifica tions coming withintheterms oflthe claims hereof.

V t Having described Imy invention, 1 claim: For the co-operation of the ferrule flanges-33 and'34 v 1.v A knife'eomprising; a handlevhaving a vertical slot in one end thereofland-a passage connected with'the slot and extending therefrom longitudinally withinthe handle;

operate; results in a reinforcement ofthe frontend por tion 16 of, the. handle13 for stron'gly resisting anyl tend ency for splitting or b'reakag'e'of the handle. This thrust engagement of lthe flanges ,33 and 34 with the bevel sur faces 47Ya'nd 48 also'prlovides a blade-to-handle "connection of increased strength for greater rigidity'arid .'st a v bility in the knife 10.

The ferrule flanges '33 and 34 also tage that meat particles and the like are. prevented from entering the slot 15 and counterbore 19-ofthe handle 13..

These flanges also prevent'marring or nicking'of the front j provideiithe advafn' ferrule removably received in said slot comprising spaced parallel, plate "portions lying ,ion opposite sides of :said

shank portion; a yoke member comprising threaded means and a pair'of arms'on opposite sides of said ferrule; means extendingthrough "said arms, plate portions and shank zportion for detachably'connecting the same to constitute a blade and ferrule assembly; and retaining means in said passage and engaged with said threaded means for main-v V taining saidassembly infa mounted relation you {said handle.

,5 2. A mire com ising; a handle having a warml T' disposed sl'ot in the front "end thereof and a pair of front 1 endns'urfaces' along opposite sides ofsaidrslotfa blade end portion 16 of'the handle asthe result of the common: a

practice of dropping the knife lfl blade-firstinto a 'supg porting rack.

I Q 7 f, .50 To further strengthen thelblade-to-handle connectlonin and 'ferrule'assembly' comprising a bladei'having a'shank portion; and'aferrule mea s mounted. on and secured to ,saidshankjpor'tion; said ferrulemeans being removably,

receivedin said] slot andhavingspaced planar surfaces lyingon'opposite sidesof said shank portion'and a pair of flanges projecting outwardly from said opposite sides 2: of said I shank portionlvand overlying; said front end surfaces; and retaining means extending longitudinally with-,

, in said handle"and'detachablvconnected with'said blade the knife 10, the handle 13 is pr'ovided withintegrali-wall means'50-"on thefront endportion '16 thereof. and which:

extends across and "closes the loweriend offlthe slot 15 also forms a bottom rest engageablebythe lower'p'ort on' as shown in FIGS G'and 'I'. The closure wall rneans- 50 of the ferrule 22 Whenthe assembly20 is mounted on the liandle 113'." The engagement ofthef lower portion of the ferrule .with the wall meansSt) provides" additional, sup'- t for the slot 15., and the bottom portion of the ferrule, the; wallmeans 50 also prevents entry;or accumulationof.

port for the blade andiferrule assembly'lflandyasacover meat particles orthe like at this location. i I

' The-wall means 50 includes :late rally and forward-1y I projecting corner lugs Hand 52 at'the lower ends of the bevel surfaces-47 and 48; The lower ends-of the ferrule flanges 3 and 34 seat on these lugs to fufther'strengthen and, rigidify the eblade to-handle connection. .7

. Reverting Down) the boning knife-'27; shown in F1692;

stantially the same construction and] embodies; the sa rne front end surfaces.

andferrule assembly for holding said assembly in assem-' bled'relation with' isa-id handle with said tferrule received iir'said slot/and said flanges drawn tightly against said '3. In a knife of the character described; a" handle having'a vertical slot inthe front end thereof a longitudiual passage including a counterborejintersected by said slot; said handlealso having oppositelyinclined bevel surfiaces on' said frontend :on opposite sides. of and vertically leoeiite'nsive with" said slot; a ferruleireceived in said slot Comprising a one-piece sheet metal member having spaced parallel vertical side-walls and; oppositely extending and oppositelyinclined vertical/flangeslalongythe front edges :of said -sidefwallsuand overlying said jbevel surfaces; a blade carrying 'a cuttingedge, and having a shank portion ireeeived in-the space'betwenlsaid side walls; a nut comprising a. threaded sleeve receivedin said counterbore and spaced arms on'the outer; opposite sides of said walls; a

it will be seen'that the blade 25 thereof is considerably srnaller'than the blade 11 of vthe knife 10, and accord securing Eme'mber, extending "transversely through. said .aams wans andshank portion for connecting the same to" constitute a bladega'ndz-ferrul'e assembly; closure wall I means on said front. endarid'extending' acrossthe lower j e'n-dfotsaidislot' asga bdttomrest engageable'byjthe lower portion of said ferrule; and Yretainingscrew: means in 5 6 said passage and engaged with said nut for holding said FOREIGN PATENTS assembly in a mounted relation on said handle With said 583,053 10/24 France flanges drawn against said bevel surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 46,304 -2/ 65 Miles 30342 2,109,108 2/38 Fesler.

5 MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A KNIFE COMPRISING: A HANDLE HAVING IA VERTICAL SLOT IN ONE END THEREOF AND A PASSAGE CONNECTED WITH THE SLOT AND EXTENDING THEREFROM LONGITUDINALLY WITNIN TTHE HANDLE; A BLADE HAVVING A SHANK PORTION RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT; A FERRULE REMOVABLY RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT COMPRISING SPACED PARALLEL PLATE PORTIONS LYING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SHANK PORTION; A YOKE MEMBER COMPRISINSG THREADED MEANS AND A PAIR OF ARMS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FERRULE; MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ARMS, PLATE PORIONS AND SHANK PORTION FOR DETACHAABLY CONNECTING THE SAME TOI CONSTITUTTE A BLADE AND FERRULE ASSEMBLY; THE RETAINING MEANS IN SAID PASSAGE AND ENGAGED WITH SAID THREADED MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID ASSEMBLY IN A MOUNTED RELATION ON SAID HANDLE. 